Celebrating 5th anniversary at the Reach Gallery Museum

A swanky soiree dubbed ‘After Dark’ took place at the Reach Gallery Museum last night in celebration of its 5th anniversary. The evening celebrated arts, heritage and the stewards who make art a vital part of their lives. The evening was sponsored by Hank & Elaine Funk of Cap-it. The evening also featured a community ‘square foot’ art silent auction that contributed to the fundraising activities of the night. Watch video here.

Exhibitions coming up later this month:

The Navy: A Century in Art.

The Great Hall September 26, 2013 – January 5, 2014

A travelling exhibition produced by the Canadian War Museum.

This exhibition is a continuation of The Reach’s presentation of historical art exhibitions that examine art historical events and artists from both national and international perspectives.

The Navy: A Century in Art features paintings from the unparalleled Beaverbrook Collection of War Art. From dramatic depictions of the Battle of the Atlantic to intimate portraits of life at sea, some of Canada’s best artists have captured the Canadian naval experience in times of war and peace. Their works show us the human face of this experience, while helping to illuminate the important role that the Navy has played in Canadian history for the past 100 years.

Flight Worthy: Virginia Ivanicki.

South Gallery, The Grotto. September 26, 2013 – January 5, 2014.

The exhibition will be an homage to the airplanes and crews of WWII. The paintings combine the buildings, terrain and flying machines in surreal aerial vistas. ‘With such courage, daring and integrity, at impossibly young ages, I felt their essence to be somewhat indelible – that there must be another dimension, an afterlife perhaps, where they still flew and the lost buildings still stood – somewhat tattered, gritty and worn, but continuing on with all that could not be destroyed. I created the series to honour these men and their machines – and to envision a place where they will always exist.’

A Community at War.

The Great Hall. September 26, 2013 – January 5, 2014.

To complement The Navy: A Century in Art and provide a local perspective,Our Communities Our Stories will show local military artefacts from The Reach’s material culture collection, local veterans and military historians and archival photos that document the ways in which Abbotsford has been affected by wartime.

The term “home front” entered the English language during WWII, in a speech by U. S. President Franklin Roosevelt who stated that the efforts of civilians at home to support the war through personal sacrifice were as critical to winning the war as the efforts of the soldiers themselves; that the civilian populace constituted an additional front at home.

More photos at Facebook.com/myabbynews

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